Prefuse 73

Prefuse 73 is the alias of Scott Herren, an experimental hip-hop producer whose material often features MCs buried in the mix to become more a part of the sonic texture than a focal point. Herren began his career working in commercial studios in Atlanta, but later went on to more experimental work. His first record under the Prefuse name, Vocal Studies + Uprock Narratives, not only buried but cut up and spliced raps as well as allowing some more straightforward vocals from several MCs. The 2003 follow-up, One Word Extinguisher, carried on in a similar vein. That same year, Warp released Extinguished: Outtakes -- a fascinating EP of beats and samples that ran through 23 tracks in about 35 minutes.

Prefuse 73 is some serious music. Reminds me of a hip hop Aphex Twin, and I don't mean that as some vague generality. While Aphex is a little more challenging, Prefuse 73 is not pulling any punches with some highly complex, technical, and not always accessible music. If you want to take a journey - and not always somewhere pleasant - then hook up with some Scott Herren.

Prefuse is one of those few hip-hop artists that is never afraid to make you say "What the f**k is going on?" He has the balls to throw musically complex s**t at you and make you really listen to his s**t. He also goes off the beaten hip-hop track by sometimes not even having raps in his songs. If you can't get his music, then the mainstream has it's claws in you and you should just go listen to 50 Cent or Kanye West. But this is true hip-hop, it's inventive and it has spirit and life to it.

5 years ago

ajshrews

IF YOU DO NOT LIKE PREFUSE YOU ARE OBVIOUSLY A COMMUNIST AND SUCK C**KS

One Word Extinguisher is easily his best. ...Love his sound so much that I made a Pandora station based on it. This is the sort of sound we'd all hoped would someday be spawned by artists like Grandmaster Flash. ...Dig...